Little Falls transcript., 1887-05-13

From her M DIST eyrle ii tine surf the
old gum boot describe the group mp
on thu beach each pleasant day. Now
the old gum boot had seen enough of
the world to know . thing or two, as
we presently shall see. 3 s.st.. sE.
81 THAT tall young man is not q
child, !" quoth the old gum boot,"ye
he comes every day with the children
to hear the sick girl tell her stories!S
An, han' .:t,. r. g. =:
Perhaps he is the doctor" suggest,
the little oyster, and then she added
with q sigh, -"but. oh! hope not. ~
This suggestion seemed to amuse
the old gum boot highly; at least she
fell into such hysterical laughter that
she sprang leak near her little toe,
which, considering her, environments,
was q serious mishap. a:t@.
"Unless I am greatly mistaken, my
child, said the old gum boot to the
little oyster, that young man is III
love with the sick girl!'' 49,.
"Oh, how terrible!" said the little
oyster and she meant it, too, for she
was thinking of the gallant young
perch with green fins. r :
"Well, I've said it and mean it,"
continued the old gum boot, ''now
just wait and see." -
The old gum boot had guessed
aright-so much for the value of
worldly experienced Edward loved
Margaret; to him she was the most
beautiful, the most perfect being in the
world; her very words seemed to exalt
his nature. Yet he never spoke to
her of love. He was content to come
with the children to hear the stories,
to look upon her sweet face and to
worship her in silence. Was not that
q very wondrous love?
In course Of time, the sick girl Mar
garet became more interested in the
little ones that thronged daily to
hear her pretty stories, and she put
her beautiful fancies into the little
songs and quaint poems and tender
legends-songs and poems and
legends about the sea, the
flowers, the birds, and other beau
titul creations of nature, and in
all there was a sweet simplicity, del.
icacy, reverence that bespoke Mar
garet's spiritual purity and wisdom.
In the teaching, and marveling ever
at it's beauty, Edward grew to man.
hood She was his inspiration, but
he never spoke of love to Margaret.
And so the years went BY
Beginning with the children, the world
came to know the sick girls power.
Her songs were sung in every home,
and in every home her verses and her
little stories were repeated. And soft
was that Margaret came to be beloved
OF all, but he who loved her best spoke
never of his love for her.
And as these years went by, the sick
oyster lay in the sea cuddled close to
to the old gum boot. She
was wearier now than ever
before, for there was no cure for
her malady. The gallant perch with
green fins was very sad. For his WOO
ing had been hopeless. Still he was
devoted, and still he come each day
to the little oyster, bringing her cool
and other delicacies of
the ocean. Oh, how sick the little
oyster was. But the end came at
last.
AAAC CAAlNAVu VClC OAi Ll1S OtctCA one
day, waiting for Margaret, and they
wondered that she did come. Present.
ly, grown restless, many OF the boys
scampered into the water and stood
there, with their trousers rolled up,
boldly daring the little waves that rip
pied up from the overflow OF the surf.
And one little boy happened upon the
old gum boot! It was a great dis
Covery.
''See the old gum boot" cried the
boy, fishing it out of the water and
it on high. "And here is lit
tie oyster fastened to it! How fun
ny!' IT,
The children gathered around the
curious object on the beach. None Of
them had ever seen such a funny lit
tie oyster. They tore the pale, knot
ted little thing from her foster moth
or and handled her with such rough
curiosity that even had she been q
robust oyster she must certainly have
died. At any rate, the little oyster
was dead now, and the bareaved
perch with green fins must have known
it, for he swan up aud down his ma
tive cove disconsolately.
1t befel in that same hour that
Margaret lay upon her deathbed, and,
knowing that she had not long to live,
she sent for Edward. And Edward,
when he came to her, was filled with
anguish, and, clasping her hands in
bis, he told her of his love.
Then Margaret answered him: II
knew it, dear one; and all the songs /
have sung and all the words l
have spoken and all the prayers
1 have made have been with
you. dear one-all with you in my
heart Of hearts"
"You have purified and exalted my
life, "cried Ed dward; "you have been my
best and sweetest inspiration;you have
taught me the eternal truth-you are
my beloved!''
And Margaret said: Then in my
weakness hath there been wondrous
strength. and from my sufferings come
eth the glory have sought"
So Margaret died, and like broken
lily she lay upon her couch; and all
the sweetness of her pure and gentle
life seemed to come back and rest up
on her face; and the songs she had
sung and the beautiful stories she had
told came back, too, on angel wings,
and made sweet music in that cham
ber. -. T. ...
The children were lingering on the
beach when Edward came that day.
He could hear them singing the songs
Margaret had taught them. They
that he came alone.
t'See,' cried one of the boys, run
ing to meet him and holding tiny
shell in his hand; '.see what we have
found in this strange Little shell. Is it
not beautiful n. .5 5s. !, II 4 ]. u
Edward took the dwarfcd misshap-
en- thing and lol it held q beauteous
pearl. y. ..S .. s=5sz s* ,=s s i. Z.